Focus on the Family President Jim Daly and his hypocritical stance on the free exercise of conscience

by Rev. Steve Parelli
February 13, 2012
Bronx, NY

An abridgement of this blog was published on Feb. 15th:  Focus on the Family's cry for religious freedom ignors gay marriage

There is a limit to what government can compel us to do—or not do—particularly in matters of faith and conscience. It is in the best interest of all Americans, of every ideological stripe, that this limit, this line, not be crossed.  – Jim Daly, President, Focus on the Family, February 13, 2012, in his article entitled “What Every Christian Ought to Know About President Obama’s Healthcare Mandate”

How interesting that Focus on the Family would ask “all Americans, of every ideological strip” to recognize that there is “this limit, this line [that is] not [to] be crossed.”  What is that line not to cross?  It is whatever pertains to the individual “in matters of faith and conscience.”  And rightly so.

Yet, that is exactly what the evangelical religious right has been doing for years with regards to its aggressive, persistent fight against gay marriage which  fight they justify primarily on the basis of their own brand of religious convictions.  Their faith and conscience do not allow for same-sex relationships in their lives and so they have determined that my faith and conscience should not allow for same-sex relationships in my life. 

Now, at long last, the religious right is crying out for religious freedom for themselves, just has have many LGBT and gay-friendly people cried out for religious freedom for gays and lesbians over the past several years since DADT and DOMA of the 1990s.  Religious freedom is now, suddenly, very precious to Focus on the Family; but when deciding against gay marriage, Focus on the Family was dead to the principle they now argue for.

As a gay Christian and a former evangelical Baptist minister, “in matters of faith and conscience” I am at peace with my Creator as it pertains to my same-sex union with my husband Jose for more than 14 years now (with whom I was legally married in California in 2008).  That the religious right would amend state constitutions so as to structure my life in alignment with their core beliefs on homosexuality is an affront against the United States Constitution and a total disregard for my right to live in accord with the dictates of my own conscience.

Yes, Mr. Jim Daly of Focus on the Family, it is in the best interest of all Americans, of every ideological stripe, that this limit, this line, not be crossed. 

So why is Focus on the Family crossing this God-given right, year in and year out, by waging battle after battle against gay marriage?  Because, as fundamentalists-at-heart, they are more beholden to the Bible (as they understand it) than, as good American citizens, to the practice of religious freeddom.

In the matter of gay marriage, evangelical religion has limited the free exercise of conscience and religious freedom.  Evangelical religion, in the matter of gay marriage, is unAmerican.  And I have Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family, by his own words in agreement with me -- albeit he hasn't yet seen the obvious implications of his own words.